Hooker Tom Willis will likely play his last match at Waikato Stadium on Saturday night when the Chiefs take on the Queensland Reds in their final Super 14 home game of the year.

Willis confirmed he was heading to Wales after the Super 14 to play for the Newport Gwent Dragons in the Magners League, the start of an overseas recruiting programme by the club to boost their future hopes of a shot at European glory.

The qualified lawyer, who turned 29 last Sunday, has yet to sign a full contract but confirmed after training on Tuesday afternoon in Hamilton that it was a mere formality and he would take advantage of an out in his New Zealand contract to quit the country before Waikato's Air New Zealand Cup campaign starts in July.

"I haven't signed a complete contract yet but I'm certainly a wee way down the track in terms of negotiating that deal so there's a fair degree of accuracy in (the reports)," Willis said.

"The nature of my New Zealand Rugby Union contract is such that I have termination options, which are admittedly based on conditions. But I intend to get out of it."

Willis has played 38 games for the Chiefs and 26 for Waikato since moving from Otago at the end of 2004. All up he has 61 Super rugby games behind him and also played seven matches (five tests) for the All Blacks in 2001-02.

He said there were a number of reasons for his decision to make the move now, including the challenge of playing overseas and being well paid for it.

"I'm 29 now, I'm coming down the other side of a professional rugby player's life-span; I like the idea of having a fairly structured and regimented season which allows breaks; it's a chance to live abroad, get a different culture, do a bit of travelling; and obviously get remunerated quite well."

The Dragons, who are currently captained by experienced Welsh international loose forward Colin Charvis, aspire to play in the Heineken Cup and after seeing the success Xavier Rush brought to the Cardiff Blues, and Marty Holah and Justin Marshall contributed to the Neath Swansea Ospreys, were keen to recruit some Kiwis in key positions. Subject to his visa being sorted out, Willis said he would be in Newport in time for pre-season training for the 2008-09 season.

But there is still unfinished business for the matter-of-fact rake as part of the Chiefs and he was one of the senior players working to bring the team down off the high of beating the top-of-the-table Crusaders at Waikato Stadium last Friday night to be ready to take on the Reds at the same venue this Saturday.

"We have to be pretty conscious of the fact we haven't won anything yet," Willis said.

"Yes, we've come off a good win and had a lot of pats on the back.

"We could quite easily be grounded this time next week if we don't do the job against the Reds and I think they're a lot better team than what people perhaps realise," he said.

"They do pose a real threat so, particularly the leadership guys, have really tried to drum into the guys that we haven't done anything really special yet, we haven't won anything and we have to stay grounded and keep being the honest team we endeavour to be; as opposed to any hotshot outfit."